Accra, March 31, GNA-The Sickle Cell Foundation Ghana (Foundation) has demanded an unqualified public apology from Dr Stephen Amoah for his derogatory statement about persons living with sickle cell disease and related conditions in Ghana.
Dr Amoah, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso in the Ashanti Region and a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament, on March 26, 2022, on News File at Joy News, likened Ghana’s current ailing and weak economy to “a child with Sickle Cell Disease”.
A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said, the Foundation, on behalf of all persons with Sickle Cell Disease, their families, and caregivers, consider these words of such a high government official as derogatory and terribly insensitive.
“This is an offensive and degrading statement that stems from ignorance, and we must endeavour to eradicate it from our public discourse, not just for the Sickle Cell Disease community, but for all other health conditions.
“Such statements are not only discouraging but also create an environment that encourages stigmatization and discrimination,” it added.
In addition, the Foundation will be happy to educate him about how he could use his public position to support activities of the Foundation and others to improve the health and
lives of people with Sickle Cell Disease.
The attention of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (Foundation) has been drawn to a statement made by a legislator: the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaeso in the Ashanti Region and a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament, Dr Stephen Amoah.
Speaking on Saturday 26th March 2022 on News File at Joy News, Dr Amoah likened Ghana’s current ailing and weak economy to “a child with Sickle Cell Disease”.
The Foundation believes that having Sickle Cell Disease does not make anyone less of a human being and it does not prevent a person from achieving a successful and high quality of life.
What we must strive to achieve is for leaders in our society to support and encourage the provision of quality healthcare for all persons, including persons living with Sickle Cell Disease, to enable them to
achieve their life goals.
GNA